Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1887-07-09
nai - gaele
rs IN A TOY FACTORY.
NUREMBERG NO LONGER THE "TOY
HOUSE OF THE WORLD"
- brooklyn Toy Factory Where Every
Conceivable SHAPED Invention for the
d Amusement of Children Is Fashioned
3 from Tin-Popularity of "Jingle."

IL
+ Old Nuremberg, Germany, can no
aonger be called ''the toy house of the
world" There are some six or seven
manufactures Of tin toys in the United
States at the present time, and Of these
is the toy shop Of Mr.. Thomas in Scher-
merhorn street, where every conceivable
shaped invention for the amusement of
children is fashioned from tin. A circus
is hardly more attractive than the show
in the salesrooms of the mandatory,
where elephants and horses, camels and
sheep, gynnasts, etc, are IN close con-
tiguity with velocipedes, walking dolls,
merry 60 rounds, menagerie wagons, ETC.;
in short, hundreds Of curious tin toys In
endless variety Mr.. Thomas learned his
trade in Germany, and, as necessary part
of it, he is an artist.
t'Of course" said he, in showing port
folio of very clever drawings, 1.-THE first
thing in my business is to make the design
of the toy to be manufactured. Here, Tor
instance, is the drawing of horse; the
outlines are cut in card board, and from
this the stencil is made in metal which is
laid on the tin, and by one slip OF press
is cut into shape"
On the second floor the wOrkmen were
busy cutting the material into shape with
machines that looked almost human
Here was a squaring machine, here
cutting machine, here one fer rounding
the tin, another for bullying it, and SO on,
with dozen or more facilities and meth
DDS for such processes.
''Do YOU make tin swords? l saw them
manufactured in Nuremberg last year,
and the manipulation of tin in this direc-
ton was most curious and interesting"
''No, we do not make the swords or the
musical tops. The dealers and manufac-
turers over there make enough to supply
the worlds demand. We cannot compete
with them in certain styles of toys, but
we export others in large quantities, and
the demand is growing. Each toy you
see here must pass through many hands
before it is perfected. You saw the draw
ing of the horse. Well two shapes must
be cut from the metal Then the contours
must be rounded out by another work
man, and the TWO parts are soldered to-
gether exactly. A platform with little
wheels must be made to place the horse
on, but first the horse must be painted.
Several large watts of different colored
paints are ready to dip the toys in when
necessary. 1t takes but moment for the
liquid when, with many other toys in the
same degree of finish, it is carried to q
drying room on O crate and placed on a
shelf to dry. Later it is given to facial
artist for the coloring Of the eyes, nostrils,
name and tail; still another workman
fastens the horse to the platform and bell
on its back, or perchance a jockey. The
toy is now complete and ready for pack
ing A pretty toy is the boy and butter
fly with chime OF bells. The boy stands
on platform with stick in his hands.
Before him is butterfly poised over
bell. The toy is wound up and runs about
the floor as the boy touches the butterfly
with his stick, when the chimes ring mer-
rily."
(Which toys are most in demandF'
"Oh, the bell toys; anything that will
make noise. We have patent dogs that
ring bells, sail boats with sailor and
chime of bells, a picnic party on plat
form ringing chime bells, galloping ele-
phant with chime bells, goats, camels,
and, most comical of ALL Mary and her
little lamb with chime bells.
; A live boys heart would be delighted
with the wonderful mechanical tOyS-the
twenty-one inch steamboat that moved as
though propelled by steam, and the loco
motives and bugsieS, the steam fire en-
gines with the horses and 1iremen COM
plete, the railroad trains, tho city street
cars, elevated railways with cars and en-
CINE that move on them, the OarroUSel
with horses and riders, footmsn and
chariots, all rushing at the greatest speed
in a ring or circle, whore aags are flying.
The merry 20 around has . central figure
which turns . crank that moves the horses
and other figures in the circle. One OF the
most attractive toys is Santa Claus, with
an evergreen bush in his hands, sitting in
sleigh drawn by two goats. All these
toys have a clock movement. The exact
ness and perfection Of the toys in repre-
senting animals, human beings and
methods of living and amusement are
wonderful.
Most of the employees are men, but
there are several women for the finer fin
ishing of the toys. The three stories of
the factory have each it's division OF labor,
with the drying room IL large, dark cham
Der heated by stoves at one side of the
third floor. Every detail OF the business is
in the most perfect order. There are boxes
and barrels Of the half completed toys
ready for decoration and the shipping and
clipping of tin, ETC., all in routine and a
Kind OF harmony in the whole movement.
Returning to the Office, Mr.. ThomasS
suddenly wound up q walking doll and
set it on the floor. Together with dozen
youngsters who were present, l saw this
chubby doll walk very rapidly across the
room pushing g miniature wagon. Then
he opened a large square paper box and
revealed some charming toys already
packed for expectation, but kindly taking
them out there was first 4 locomotive,
named Hercules, with tender; two rail.
way passenger cars, with a baggage car
On, having ~. S. Mail Route" painted
ON the outside. A fire engine was on the
table, with hose attached, which throws q
stream of water across the street. And
there was a milk wagon, with four per
feet little milk cans SO fashioned thst it i:
almost impossible to destroy them, eacl
holding as much as small wine glass
BROOKLYN Eagla.
sTt is strange" said Police Captain
Killelea, chow the most expert thieves
sometimes give their business completely
away. They often make IS bsd blundsrs
as newly fiedged cop. remember once
was on patrol duty in the Bowsry-
never mind how many years ago that u,
for / am not in middle ago yet-and wa:
taking it easy toward the carly hours Of 9
pleasant summer morning. Looking care
lessly up tho street noticed a raSpieksl
coming toward me, stopping every new
and then TO dig with his hook into the ast
barrels on the sidewalk. He would have
passed me, as 10 usually the oSse, without
my even bestowing . glance on him. bu
Is he went by me he said, Good morning
SIR and turned the noxt corner just few
feet from me. 1t was Sc unusual for mel